Boeheim, who turns 73 in November, just finished his 41st year as the head coach at Syracuse.

In a March 2015 press conference, Boeheim had said he intended to coach for three more years. That summer, SU chancellor Kent Syverud publicly stated that Hopkins would succeed Boeheim after the 2017-18 season.

Hopkins had been a candidate for several head coaching jobs in the past. Most recently, he was a finalist for the University of Southern California job in 2013. USC officials instead hired Andy Enfield of Florida Gulf Coast University.

Hopkins had also been involved in openings at Oregon State, Boston College, Charlotte and St. Bonaventure.

Washington athletic director Jen Cohen had been expected to conduct a national search for the school's next head coach.

In 2015, Hopkins was named Head Coach Designate as SU chancellor Kent Syverud officially acknowledged Hopkins as Boeheim's eventual successor. When Boeheim served a 9-game suspension during the 2015-16 season, Hopkins took over as the interim head coach.

Syracuse recruit Oshae Brissett, a forward from Mississauga, Ontario, who plays for Athlete Institute in Mono, said he'd heard the news today from SU assistant coach Adrian Autry. Brissett, in a brief conversation, said he was happy for Hopkins and that the news would not change his decision to attend Syracuse.

"Not at all," he said.

He said Autry did not tell him anything about the status of current SU coach Jim Boeheim or give any indication about who might be SU's next head coach.